Christmas trees being bought earlier

Published: Saturday, November 30, 2013 at 9:12 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, November 30, 2013 at 9:12 p.m.

While many people buy a Christmas tree right after Thansgiving, the trend of getting one before then continues.

“Normally our busiest day is the day after Thanksgiving. Lately people have been coming earlier and earlier,” said Beanie Dubois, of Dubois Nursery and Trailers in Houma, who has been selling trees with her husband since 1985.

The nursery got its trees Nov. 22 and immediately began selling them.

The Duboises sell blue spruce, noble fir, Scotch pine, white pine and the most popular type of tree, balsam fir.

They also sell an odd-looking tree.

“We call it a needless tree. It’s our trees that were left from last year. We hang them upside down and let the needless fall off. Then we flock them,” Dubois said.

Price varies on size and type of tree. Dubois Nursery and trailers’s trees cost $24.95 to $240. Their biggest trees are about 14 feet tall.

Dubois said they’ve also started adding color to some trees. Patrons can pick almost any color they can imagine.

“We have people that do purple trees for LSU and people that do black trees for the Saints. It’s not a whole lot of people, but it’s getting to be more and more every year,” she said.

Dubois said tree buyers today are spending their money on softer-needle trees, which last longer even if they are more expensive.

“People are keeping their trees through Mardi Gras and some trees are being kept through Easter,” she said.

When it comes to picking the right tree, Barton Joffrion, with the LSU AgCenter in Houma, said you want to look for the freshness of the tree.

“Pull your hand across the branches of a tree. If a lot of needles fall off, that’s not good,” Joffrion said.

Some needles will fall off, Joffrion said, but if too many come off it could be a sign the tree isn’t very fresh. Another test is the needle-drop test, completed by lifting a tree about a foot off the ground and striking it back down. If this results in a shower of needles falling, look for another tree, Joffrion said.

Other tips for buying include measuring the area where the tree will stand and considering the aroma you want in your house and potential allergies.

The trees are grown throughout the year at various tree farms and most don’t normally grow in the triangular shape that Christmas Trees are associated with. Twice a year they’re sheared and shaped by the farmers.

To keep the tree fresh after bringing it home, cut off the bottom end and place it in a bucket of water for at least one day, Joffrion said. By cutting the dead part off and replenishing the tree with water, the owner can maintain its freshness through the holidays.

Joffrion said the tree should be kept away from any heat source, lights should be checked before they are used in decorating and the stand should always have adequate water.

When the holidays have ended, Lafourche and Terrebonne parish officials encourage residents to set their trees on the curb for a coastal restoration program.

The trees will be used to provide wave barriers in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near the Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge in Terrebonne and along the Larose-to-Golden Meadow levee.

The parishes’ Christmas tree programs are an extension of a state program that used Christmas trees to help prevent wetland erosion. That program ran for almost 20 years until the state cut its budget in 2009.

However, the program was revived locally last year because it works well in the area, Terrebonne Parish Coastal Restoration Director Nic Matherne said.

While the pickup dates haven’t been set, Matherne confirmed the program will start up again.

The trees are placed into retention fences, called cribs. The trees allow water to move through but break the waves that erode wetlands. The trees also slow the water so it drops silt and sediment, helping to sustain wetlands.

Eventually, the trees decompose.

“Compared to areas, immediately to the east and west in the refuge, you can very clearly see where over a number of years those cribs have provided protection for the land,” Matherne said.

Staff Writer Jacob Batte can be reached at 448-7635 or jacob.batte@dailycomet.com. Follow him on Twitter @ja_batte

<p>While many people buy a Christmas tree right after Thansgiving, the trend of getting one before then continues.</p><p>“Normally our busiest day is the day after Thanksgiving. Lately people have been coming earlier and earlier,” said Beanie Dubois, of Dubois Nursery and Trailers in Houma, who has been selling trees with her husband since 1985.</p><p>The nursery got its trees Nov. 22 and immediately began selling them. </p><p>The Duboises sell blue spruce, noble fir, Scotch pine, white pine and the most popular type of tree, balsam fir.</p><p>They also sell an odd-looking tree. </p><p>“We call it a needless tree. It's our trees that were left from last year. We hang them upside down and let the needless fall off. Then we flock them,” Dubois said. </p><p>Price varies on size and type of tree. Dubois Nursery and trailers's trees cost $24.95 to $240. Their biggest trees are about 14 feet tall. </p><p>Dubois said they've also started adding color to some trees. Patrons can pick almost any color they can imagine. </p><p>“We have people that do purple trees for LSU and people that do black trees for the Saints. It's not a whole lot of people, but it's getting to be more and more every year,” she said.</p><p>Dubois said tree buyers today are spending their money on softer-needle trees, which last longer even if they are more expensive. </p><p>“People are keeping their trees through Mardi Gras and some trees are being kept through Easter,” she said. </p><p>When it comes to picking the right tree, Barton Joffrion, with the LSU AgCenter in Houma, said you want to look for the freshness of the tree. </p><p>“Pull your hand across the branches of a tree. If a lot of needles fall off, that's not good,” Joffrion said. </p><p>Some needles will fall off, Joffrion said, but if too many come off it could be a sign the tree isn't very fresh. Another test is the needle-drop test, completed by lifting a tree about a foot off the ground and striking it back down. If this results in a shower of needles falling, look for another tree, Joffrion said. </p><p>Other tips for buying include measuring the area where the tree will stand and considering the aroma you want in your house and potential allergies. </p><p>The trees are grown throughout the year at various tree farms and most don't normally grow in the triangular shape that Christmas Trees are associated with. Twice a year they're sheared and shaped by the farmers. </p><p>To keep the tree fresh after bringing it home, cut off the bottom end and place it in a bucket of water for at least one day, Joffrion said. By cutting the dead part off and replenishing the tree with water, the owner can maintain its freshness through the holidays. </p><p>Joffrion said the tree should be kept away from any heat source, lights should be checked before they are used in decorating and the stand should always have adequate water. </p><p>When the holidays have ended, Lafourche and Terrebonne parish officials encourage residents to set their trees on the curb for a coastal restoration program. </p><p>The trees will be used to provide wave barriers in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near the Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge in Terrebonne and along the Larose-to-Golden Meadow levee. </p><p>The parishes' Christmas tree programs are an extension of a state program that used Christmas trees to help prevent wetland erosion. That program ran for almost 20 years until the state cut its budget in 2009.</p><p>However, the program was revived locally last year because it works well in the area, Terrebonne Parish Coastal Restoration Director Nic Matherne said. </p><p>While the pickup dates haven't been set, Matherne confirmed the program will start up again. </p><p>The trees are placed into retention fences, called cribs. The trees allow water to move through but break the waves that erode wetlands. The trees also slow the water so it drops silt and sediment, helping to sustain wetlands.</p><p>Eventually, the trees decompose.</p><p>“Compared to areas, immediately to the east and west in the refuge, you can very clearly see where over a number of years those cribs have provided protection for the land,” Matherne said.</p><p>Staff Writer Jacob Batte can be reached at 448-7635 or jacob.batte@dailycomet.com. Follow him on Twitter @ja_batte</p>